Photographic plate-changing means



May 22, 1928.

J. W. LUDOWICI PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATE CHANGING MEANS Filed June 26. 1922 Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

rennin WILHELM nunowrcr, or MUNICH, GERMANY.

PHOTQGBAIHIC PLATE-CHANGIN G MEANSJ Application filed June 26, 1922, Serial No. 571,035, and in Germany July 2, 1921.

-- Myuin'vention has reference to magazine cameras andparticularly to magazine cameras for aircraft. It is an 'ob ect.of my 1nvention to improve the usual springor gravity-actuated: devices for exchanging an exposedplate against an unexposedone. To this end I. provide a positive control for exchanging the plates. In this manner, the

influence of gravity and friction on the op- 10' eration' of the device is eliminated and the magazine will operate reliably in any position; v p

- A further import-ant feature of my invention is that the positive means for exchanging the plates relieve the plate at the bottom of the pile of the weight of the plates above it and the capacity of the magazine is no longer limited by considerations of weight. 20 V 'tion and forming part thereof two forms In the drawings affixed to this specificaofa magazine embodying my invention are illustrated diagrammatically by. way of exampler o o Figs. 1 and 2 are an elevation and a plan View, respectively, of a magazine withthe frontand top plates removed, and showing screw spindles for displacing the plates in parallel to the optical axis of the camera.

1 is the casing'of the magazine and 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, 7, 8, 9 are two sets of vertical screw spindles four of which are arranged along the two transverse edges of the two piles 10, 10.- The ends of the spindles are carried in horizontal braces of the easingl. The plates of each pile are inserted in the threads of the spindles, the plates in the posed and partly stored for exposure in the front pile supported by the spindles 2, 3, 4 and 5 being ready for exposure to the lens which is in line with the centre of this pile, and the plates supported inthe rear pile bythe spindles 6, 7, 8 and 9 are partly exfront pile.

11 is. a crank on a vertical shaft 12 pro- 'ecting from'tlie top plate of the casing 1. liotation is imparted to the spindles 2, etc.,

1 through a bevel gear on the shaft 12 of the crank 11 which meshes with a gear 14 on a horizontal shaft:15 supported in one of 31, 52, e3, er,

two horizontal shafts 23 and 24 which ex-v tend at right angles below the shafts 15 and 18. Helical pinions 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 are arranged on these shafts in addition to the pinions 21, 22 and meshing with gears 35, 36, 37 and 39 at the ends of the spindles 2, etc. When the crank 11 is rotated, the shaft 15 rotates with it. Its rotation is transferred to the shaft 18 at predetermind intervals through the medium of the Maltese cross 18 and this intermittent rotation is transmitted in turn to thespindles 2, etc. A bevel pinion 39 is keyed on the shaft 15 and meshing with a pinion 40 on the upper end of a vertical shaft 41. 42 is another bevel pinion at the lower end of the shaft 41 which meshes with a bevel pinion on the horizontal shaft 44 carried in opposite walls of the casing 1. 45 is a bevel pinion on the shaft 44 and 46 is a meshing pinion on a short vertical shaft 47 on which a crank 48 is keyed. This crank cooperates with a frame 50 which is guided on the inner ends of the lower horizontal braces by rollers 55. A similar frame 51 is guided by similar rollers along the inner edges of the upper braces and this frame is adapted to be reciprocated by a crank 49 at the lower. end of'the shaft 12. The crank pin is connected with a block 54 which is adapted to slide on a diagonal brace 54.0f the frame 51. As will appear from Fig. 2 the material of the, frame is cut away at both sides ofthe bracing 54. The lower crank 48 transmits its motion to the lower frame 50 by exactly similar means which are not shown. The connection between the two cranks is such that they will always be at an angle of 180 to each other. hen the shaft 12 is rotated the cranks 48 and 49 will displace the frames 50 and 51 in opposite directions.

A pair of spring clips 52 extends upwardly from the lower frame 50 and a similar pair of clips 53 extends downwardly from the upper frame 51. The clips are arranged at the outer ends of their respective frames and adapted to engage the lower plate of the front pile and the upper plate ofthe rear pile.

The operation of this camera is as follows: Y

Suppose that a plate has been exposed in. g the front pile, in Fig.1, the crank 11' is rotated so as to move the lower frame 50 forward into the position illustrated in Fig. 2

in which the clipsat its front end engage 1 top. When the plates have been exchanged inthis manner the shaft 15 is rotated by the Maltese cross 17 and all spindles are rotated with it so that the plates in the front pile are raised and the plates in the rearpile are lowered for the leadof the spindles. In this manner, an unexposed plate is placed -in i'ront of the lens at the. base of the front pile and another unexposed plate is added "to the front pile at itstopyirom the top of the rear pile, which has received'the exposed -plate irom the "front pile at its base. There are always twelve plates in each pile-and aftereach exposure the exposed plate is --withdrawn and replaced by the unexposed plate above it, and the vacant space at the top of the front pile is filled with another plate from the rear pile. This is continued until all 24 plates have been exposed.

I claim: 7

1. In a magazine camera, a magazine for a supply "oi unexposed plates and a inaga zine for the reception of exposed plates from said .supply, each magazine comprising mechanism for holding and shift- -ing the platesin spaced relation toeach other, mechanism -tor exchanging unexposed against exposed plates between said magazines, a drive for operating said exchanging mechanism, i and a connection :operatively connected with said drive for intermittently operating said holding and shifting mechanism during the operation of said exchanging mechanism. I

2. In a magazine camera, a magazinei'or a supply of unexposed plates and a magazine For the reception of exposed plates from said supply, each magazine comprising mechanism having projections for holding and shifting the plates in spaced relation to each other, mechanism for exchanging unzine tor "the reception of exposed plates nism spaced relation to each other, mechanism exposed against exposed plates between saidn1agazines,a drive for operating said ex-' changing mechanism, and a connection operatively connected with said drive for intermittently operating said holding and shifting mechanism during the operation of said exchanging mechanism.)

3. Inamagazme camera, a magazine for v a supplyv of unexposed plates and a maga- V from said supply, each magazine comprlsing mechanism having threaded spindles adapted to engage thewedges of the plates between their threads, mechanism for rotat ing said threaded spindles, mechanism for exchanging 1 unexposed against, expose plates between said magazines, 2. drive for operating said exchanging mechanism, and a connection operatively, connected with said drive for intermittently operating sa d spindle-rotating mechanism during the operation of said exchanging mechanism.

7 4. Ina magazine camera, a magazine for a supply of unexposed plates and a magazine for the reception of exposed plates from said supply, each magazine comprising -mechanism for Y holding and shifting the plates in spaced relation to each other, mechanism having means foriengaging the ends of the plates and adapted to exchange unexposed against exposed plates between said-magazines, a drive for operating said exchanging mechanism, and a connection 'operatively connected with said drive for in- V termittently operating said holding and shifting mechanism during the operation. of said exchanging mechanism.

V 5. In a magazine camera, a magazinefor a supply of unexposed plates and a magazine for the reception of exposed plates from said supply, each magazine comprising mechanism for holding and shifting the plates in spaced "relation to each other, mechanism having springcatches for engaging the ends of the plates and adapted to exno change unexposed againstexposed plates between-said magazines, a drive for operating said exchanging mechanism, and a connection operatively connected with said drive for intermittently operating said holding and shifting mechanism during the operation of said exchangingmechanism.

6; Ina magazine camera, a magazine for a supply of'unexposed plates and a magazine for the reception of exposed plates from said supply, each magazine comprising mechafor holding and shifting the plates in forexchanging unexposed against exposed plates between said magazines, acrank for operating said exchanging mechanism, and a connection operatively connected with said crank for intermittentlyoperating said holding and shifting mechanismduring the operation of said exchanging mechanism.

7. In a magazine camera, a magazine for plates between said magazines, a drive for a supply of unexposed plates and a magazine operating said exchanging mechanism, and for the reception of exposed plates from said a Maltese cross for intermittently operating 10 supply, each magazine comprising mechasaid holding and shifting mechanism during 5 nism for holding and shifting the plates in the operation of said exchanging mechanism. spaced relation to each other, mechanism In testimony whereof I affix my signature. for exchanging unexposed against exposed J OHANN WILHELM LUDOWICI. 

